XVII Poison Ginger, Springing Bear

  "Hmm, now what's that I can smell?" Naja whispered longingly, as the scent filled her nostrils, "ginger, now that's not something I've…"   "Naja, be careful!" Shenzàn hissed, "just because it's a nice-smelling plant, it doesn't mean you can just pick it!"   Taken aback, the Elelup crossed her arms across her chest and frowned.   "No need ta get so cross, Shen! If ginger were dangerous, I'd've never cooked with it," she pouted.   Shenzàn sighed and looked at Veman, who nodded, before clearing his throat.   "As you seem to have forgotten, or did not hear my explanation earlier...Vérien Wild Ginger has an unusual defence mechanism. If it is in a small population and you try to pick it, the plants react as though they are threatened. This causes them to spawn venomous flowers that spit poisonous gases in order to prevent people picking that which remains."   "Gases? Disgusting!," Naja shouted in horror, backing away, "well, I don't want that in me food, ‘owever good the ginger is. But," she continued remembering herself, "I'm sorry I didn'a hear you before."   "Naja," Findat cautioned, "we said about being…quiet."   Naja clapped a hand over her mouth and nodded apologetically, but the damage had been done. The fur on the back of Azachet's neck bristled and she leaped towards the Elelup just as a shadow, cast from some faint break in the forest canopy, fell over them. She held out her Rzarchprl in one hand-paw and made it clear to whatever had cast the shadow that she had long claws of her own on the other hand-paw. For a moment there was silence.   Her monologue, she knew, was solely for her own focus and benefit, but it helped.   Why can't we help wild animals understand words? she wondered in annoyance, then again, many people refuse to understand words despite being able.   The bear, after some moments, with a rumble of a growl, seemed to turn away, and Azachet breathed a sigh of relief. But as she made to leave, it rounded on her from her off-side, sweeping her off her feet with a yelp and she slashed wildly around herself in a manic act of self-preservation. Azachet landed heavily, but on her foot-paws, onto some rocky ground, glad she still had her weapon in-paw. Just as she was about to launch herself at the dark, menacing hulk of a bear, a flash of silver sped past her with a grunt of effort.   "Oh no you don't," Shenzàn yelled at the bear, a defiant edge to her already-stern voice, "I don't care how loudly you hear this. You can tell your friends too."   Having been too focused on Azachet, the bear had not reacted in time to avoid or block Shen's blade, which she plunged deep into one of its front paws.   "Aw, did you hurt your paw on a thorn?" Shenzàn mocked, "and it looks like a kitten bit your toe too, you poor thing."   The bear, furious but now wounded, seemed unsure as to whether these noisy invaders were worth fighting or not. It stamped the ground with its good front paw and bared its teeth, daring them to try again.   "N-no more, Shen, that…should do it," Azachet growled from behind her, now more in control of her breathing.   Disappointed to not have a battle to continue, but trusting in the Kyadd's knowledge, she ripped her sword from the bear's paw who, in a final howl of anger and pain, turned and made its exit, limping and kicking leaves and dirt at the two of them as it did so.   "Pleh, pleh," Shenzàn spat, "now that was uncalled for."   "Sorry, Shen, I just thought you'd taught it enough," Azachet protested, brushing the dust from her facial fur.   "What?" the warrior asked, confused, "oh, no, the dust shower was overkill. Your advice was annoyingly sound. Any more, and it would definitely have brought more pals to the party. That tribal weapon of yours gave it some nasty cuts too. You hurt?"   The Kyadd shook her head, allowing her mane to fall behind her once again. Shenzàn wiped her blade on some browning grass.   "Nrrr," Azachet confirmed, "my ankle took the brunt, but nothing's brrroken¹. I should've landed more lightly, what with being a tiger. Thanks for the rrrescue, even if you did call me a 'kitten'," she chuckled.   "Give yourself some credit for the fight. You've worked in so-called civilisation for a long time. You did well."   Azachet bowed her head in gratitude, before glancing around and padding back to where they had found the plant that had unwittingly triggered the bear attack. Seeing there were, in fact, no flowers in the wild ginger patch, she pulled a small number carefully from the ground, ensuring not to tear any of the remaining plants.   This gives me a few moments to control my growl, she thought, examining the samples.   "Seriously, girl?" Shenzàn stared in horror, "you were thrown in the air by a huge brute of a bear and you decide to get some nice-smelling plants for the girl that invited it here?"   Azachet smiled and folded her arms - with one hand-paw she held her Rzarchprl and in the other she gripped the ginger. One part weapon, the other part science - the very epitome of the foundations of Shevezz.   "The kid needs to know she's been forgiven. We are scientists, albeit very well armed scientists, with you here. But none of us are perfect."   She hooked her Rzarchprl onto her back, and stretched her hand-paws to release the pent-up tension that still lingered from her too-tight grip.   "Yeah, well, you can share your science when it actually affects my life," Shenzàn retorted, restlessly shifting her balance from one foot to the other.   "And that is another reason I hold the ginger," Azachet nodded, "it is not like any other plant, except for its taste. Yes, it can go in food – and Naja was not wrong to think about food. Just wrong not to think before getting her ingredient. Soon, you will be hungry again. If this plant is half as good as Veman says, I think it will do more than just spice up your biscuits."   "We'll see," Shenzàn shrugged, "come on, let's go remind the lass of her stupidity…"   Catching Azachet's glower, Shenzàn rolled her eyes.   "Okay, okay, stupidity and forgiveness."

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